S/PV.7254 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the United Kingdom. Let me start by thanking Council colleagues for their support during what has been another busy month. It has only been with their help that we have been able to get through that business efficiently and effectively. August has not been a quiet month for the Security Council for some years now. This year was no exception, with simultaneous crises in Gaza, Iraq, Ukraine, Syria, Libya and South Sudan, to name just six. The Council has addressed all of those conflicts this month. I hope that the resolutions we have adopted, in particular in confronting the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant in resolution 2170 (2014) and tackling Libya in resolution 2174 (2014), will have real and lasting impact on the ground. Much of that crisis work is a matter of public record. I will therefore focus my remarks on a key thematic priority for the United Kingdom presidency, which was conflict prevention. I will also touch on the working methods of the Council. Let me start by recalling the Council’s visit to Belgium on 9 and 10 August, the first leg of the wider visit we undertook to Europe and Africa. The aim of the Belgian leg was to commemorate the start of the First World War, to pay tribute to those who died and to learn lessons from the past for our current work. Our discussions in Belgium and The Hague came back time and again to what more the Council can and must do to effectively discharge its conflict-prevention responsibilities. As I said in last Thursday’s debate (see S/PV.7247), the Council needs to take conflict prevention more seriously than it currently does. The moral, humanitarian and political imperatives of early preventive action are unarguable. The question is, how can the Council better fulfil this role. Part of the answer relates to the Council’s working methods. The Council’s agenda is full and our capacity is stretched as we struggle to cope with persistent and complex crises. But acting only in crisis mode, responding and reacting, will never allow us to get ahead of events and intervene early enough to have a preventive effect. Actions we can take to free up the Council’s workload and to ensure that we get through routine business more quickly could help to create time for more valuable overseas visits, more exploration of the activities outlined for us in Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations, more time for horizon-scanning and more time to act on the indicators of emerging conflict. But time is not our only constraint. The perceived tension between the principle of sovereignty and conflict prevention also constrains Council action. That has been used in the past to justify taking no action for fear of offending a State or being seen to impinge on sovereignty. My hope is that the lessons the Council learned during its visit to Belgium, the debate last Thursday, this week’s briefing by the Department of Political Affairs and the adoption of resolution 2171 (2014) will allow us to tackle that head on. If we want to be more effective at preventing conflict, we have to find ways of holding discussions, public or private, on situations that may exhibit some alarming indicators but might not yet constitute a full- blown conflict, without that being seen to constitute an encroachment on sovereignty. The use of “Any other business” has provided one useful vehicle to raise issues of concern privately and in a timely manner. So far this month, 13 issues have been raised under “Any other business” in consultations. I take this as an indication of the Council’s readiness to respond quickly, even, on occasion, to the point of discussing issues before a descent into full-blown conflict. We should continue to use that particular tool and consider whether we can raise issues even earlier as indicators start to flash red. Talking of flashing lights, sometimes the simplest efforts can make a difference. Starting meetings promptly, encouraging speakers to keep to time limits and moving discussions on smartly have this month all contributed to allowing us to get through large amounts of business. The open debate last Thursday included 59 speakers but finished by 4.30 p.m. I hope that colleagues around the table and in the wider membership will agree that this has been a boon, and not an imposition. There is much more that could be done by clustering some discussions, spreading out the periodicity of others, avoiding repetitive statements, et cetera, which could free up more Council time for both tackling the crises of the day and preventing the conflicts of tomorrow. I thank Council members once again for the support throughout our presidency. I look forward to hearing their views on our collective work this month. I wish the United States delegation every success in its Council presidency in September. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to the members of the Security Council.

Let me begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, and the United Kingdom delegation on your successful presidency in the month of August. We appreciate in particular your efforts to maximize effectiveness through the efficient and timely management of the Council’s work. We would also like to thank the United Kingdom presidency for having led the Security Council mission to Europe and Africa. The visit was very substantive and constructive and has greatly enriched the work of the Council. The visit to Europe enabled us to gain valuable insight in the areas of conflict prevention and long-term reconciliation, as well as the fight against impunity. The visit to South Sudan and Somalia helped us to take stock of the achievements so far and the challenges we face today in the situations of the two countries. Regarding Gaza, we welcome the recent announcements of an open-ended ceasefire brokered under Egyptian auspices. All parties should fully implement the agreements and work towards building a more durable peace. For that purpose, we believe that a sustained and regular flow of goods and people through the Gaza crossings should be ensured, while Israel’s legitimate security concerns are duly addressed. The threat posed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is an unprecedented challenge to the stability of Iraq and the region as a whole. In that regard, resolution 2170 (2014) is an important and timely step in the right direction by the Security Council. It reflects the collective will of the international community to address the ever-growing threats posed by terrorist groups such as ISIL. Turning to the thematic issues, the open debate on conflict prevention was especially noteworthy (see S/PV.7247). The difficulty of dealing with conflicts that have already begun reminds us of the importance of conflict prevention. The Security Council and the international community should improve their capacity to read early warning signs in order to take swift action. In that connection, resolution 2171 (2014) provides a solid basis to explore all possible preventive measures through efforts across the United Nations system. We look forward to the Secretary-General’s reports on actions to promote and strengthen conflict-prevention tools. Finally, with regard to non-proliferation, the Council had a valuable opportunity to take stock of the work of the Sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) during the past three months. In the meeting the Council members condemned the continued ballistic launches by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as violations of the relevant Security Council resolutions. In that light, we urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to heed the solemn warnings of the Council and to refrain from any further provocations. Once again, in thanking the presidency of the United Kingdom for the achievements in August, we would also like to congratulate the incoming President, the United States, and assure it of the full support of the Republic of Korea.

I thank you, Mr. President, and your delegation for organizing this wrap-up session, which provides us with an opportunity to assess the work of the Council during the month of August. My comments will focus on three issues, namely, working methods and the conduct of Security Council business, the Council mission to Africa and briefings. With regard to the conduct of meetings, we commend the presidency for its efforts during the past month to encourage participants in Council meetings, including Council members, to deliver their statements in five minutes or less. That is in consonance with paragraph 29 of the annex to document S/2010/507. The efforts of the United Kingdom helped to substantially improve time management during Council meetings, and that allowed for greater efficiency in the conduct of business. We strongly encourage the continuation of that practice. I would also like to comment on the Security Council mission to Africa. According to the paragraph 66 of the Council’s 2010 Working Methods Handbook, the value of Security Council missions lies in the fact that they allow the Council to understand and assess particular conflicts or situations on its agenda. The mission to South Sudan afforded members an opportunity to interact with the key political leaders of the country and to get a first-hand assessment of the current situation on the ground and of the prospects for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. The Council was able to deliver an important message directly to the leaders of South Sudan, that there could be no military solution to the conflict in the country and that both sides should work towards the formation of an inclusive Government of national unity. The Council mission to Somalia, the first since 1994, was also very significant. It allowed close interaction between Council members and the Government of Somalia, whereby they could hear directly from the Somali authorities their aspirations and challenges and convey the concerns of the Council. The meeting of Council members with the President of Kenya and officials of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) was also a notable Council achievement in August. Kenya as a country and IGAD as a subregional body have been key players in the efforts to resolve the conflict in South Sudan. Kenya has also been an important player in ongoing efforts to stabilize Somalia. Close engagement between the Council and regional organizations, as well as with countries with influence in countries dealing with conflicts, remains a crucial tool for Council use in conflict resolution. Our assessment is that the Council effectively used the mission to Africa to further its work in the maintenance of international peace and security. It is a significant demonstration of transparency on the Council’s part that the briefing on the mission was conducted in the Council Chamber and was open to non-members (see S/PV.7245). With regard to briefings, we are pleased to note that several of the country-specific briefings in August were held in public and that concerned countries were able to participate under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. The monthly briefing by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on the humanitarian situation in Syria, which used to be held in the Consultations Room, is now being held in public, with the country concerned participating. That has helped to improve transparency in the Council’s work. I would now like to comment on the open debate on conflict prevention held on 21 August (see S/PV.7247). The participation of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the debate was significant in highlighting the often-overlooked link between human rights violations and conflict. The High Commissioner noted that while the Council’s interest in human rights had increased during her tenure, principled decisions by Council members to end crises were hampered by short-term geopolitical considerations and narrowly defined national interests. Those were the words of the High Commissioner. The question that then arises is: are Council members willing to sacrifice their narrow national interests in the larger interest of humankind? There is no doubt that the pursuit of national interests sometimes hampers the effectiveness of the Council. The debate also brought to the fore the importance of identifying and addressing the root causes of conflict. We believe that it is necessary for the Council to focus attention on this, not only in the context of conflict resolution but also to prevent a relapse into conflict in post-conflict settings. In our view, that will enhance the capacity of the Council to carry out its mandate to maintain international peace and security. In conclusion, we commend and thank the delegation of the United Kingdom for the effective way it conducted business in the month of August. We congratulate the delegation of the United States for its upcoming assumption of the presidency in September and give assurances of our full support.

We join in congratulating your delegation and your presidency, Mr. President, for the effectiveness and the leadership you have shown throughout the month of August. We also thank you for convening this wrap-up session. We welcome your choice of conflict prevention as the theme of your presidency. We also welcome the holding of the open debate (see S/PV.7247) and the unanimous adoption of resolution 2171 (2014). That reaffirms the commitment of Member States and of the Council to the peaceful settlement of disputes through mechanisms established in the Charter of the United Nations and elsewhere, based on the principle of free choice and the strictest respect for international law and international treaties in force. That made it possible to acknowledge the need to continue working on the use, implementation and improvement of the mechanisms for prevention and early warning that we rely on today and the need to improve communication among the various actors of the system and of the system with civil society. An analysis of the Council’s efficiency must necessarily include its response to the situation in Gaza. We welcome the consensus reached among the members on the idea that the status quo in Gaza is unsustainable and on the need to address at one time the issues underlying the conflict. We hope that after the ceasefire agreed between the parties last Tuesday, 26 August, the Council can speak in a firm and consistent manner on this issue, shouldering its role in the maintenance of international peace and security. A forward-looking analysis indicates that the situation in Iraq will continue to occupy a central place on our agenda. We believe that the adoption of resolution 2170 (2014), on terrorism in Iraq and Syria, which Chile co-sponsored, will provide us a useful tool that will enable us to be prepared. The adoption of that resolution shows that the Security Council, when it so intends, is capable of finding, quickly and through dialogue, common elements to contribute to tackling serious threats to international peace and security. The Council’s visit to Europe and Africa was a milestone in the month’s work and has special value in supporting the discussions in New York. While this has already been discussed, at our meeting on 19 August (see S/PV.7245), I would like to mention that we appreciate the fact that in both South Sudan and Somalia we met with civil society and women’s groups and could pass along the message on the need to ensure their full and effective participation throughout all stages of the political processes. Finally, we would like to point out that for my delegation it was a special honour to co-chair, together with Luxembourg, the segment on the international courts and tribunals in The Hague. This reflects the standing commitment of Chile to the peaceful settlements of disputes. We welcome the presidency of the United States delegation and we wish it all the best.

At the outset, allow me to congratulate you, Mr. President, for your leadership in conducting the Council’s work during your presidency and to congratulate the entire team that supported you in that endeavour. We welcome the United Kingdom’s initiative in organizing the visit by Council members to Europe and Africa during its presidency. In spite of its brevity, that important mission deserves to be repeated in the future because, not only did it make it possible to really get a feeling for the realities on the ground, but it also, above all, fostered initiatives aimed at finding solutions to problems that have arisen. That is the Security Council’s mission first and foremost, and the conclusions need to be drawn up and debated within the Council first, before being the subject of a press statement. Our delegation also notes that the time devoted to each part of the mission was relatively short, which did not make it possible for the mission to properly manage the various meetings. That was the case with the meetings with the International Criminal Court and the visits to the missions in Somalia and South Sudan, and it also was the case with the visit of international authorities to South Sudan. In future, we suggest that the Council set aside enough time to organize that sort of mission. My delegation appreciates the debate that you, Mr. President, organized on the prevention of conflicts (see S/PV.7247), which made it possible to enrich the discussion on the underlying causes of conflicts, the warning signs and especially the Security Council’s role in prevention. We noted that all delegations underscored the Council’s lack of rigour and efficiency in implementing prevention mechanisms. We also welcome the debate that you, Sir, organized on the protection of civilians (see S/PV.7244), as well as the draft resolution that is currently being drawn up on that topic. With regard to the situation in Libya, Chad expresses its concern at the complex situation that our neighbouring country finds itself in. We call on the international community to help Libya restore peace and security. In that connection, we welcome the Security Council’s vote, during your presidency and through your initiative, on resolution 2174 (2014), on the situation in Libya. We also commend the initiative of neighbouring countries, which have met several times to discuss the situation in Libya in order to contribute to finding a solution to the crisis in that country. By the same token, we welcome the Council’s adoption of resolution 2173 (2014), which extends the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur so that it can continue to pursue its mission of protecting civilians and providing humanitarian assistance in that region. We think that a military solution is not viable for that country and that dialogue should be fostered in the framework of the Doha agreement and regional initiatives. With regard to the Central African Republic, we would like to see the Council accelerate the process of deploying the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, which is planned for 15 September. We hope that the United States, which will take over the presidency of the Council from the United Kingdom next month, will focus attention on the issue of refugees. Finally, Chad welcomes the adoption of the presidential statement, during your presidency, on the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel (S/PRST/2014/17). In conclusion, we would like to thank the President of the Council for his insight and leadership in the Council’s work. We would like to also congratulate the entire United Kingdom team that accompanied him throughout his work. We take this opportunity to wish the United States luck when it assumes the presidency of the Council during the month of September and to assure it of our full support.

The Council’s heavy agenda during your presidency in the month of August, Sir, included many problematic issues in the Middle East and Africa. The Council, under your presidency, also organized visits to Europe, South Sudan and Somalia. China appreciates the great amount of work done by the United Kingdom as President of the Council for this month. In reviewing the Council’s work this month, I wish to focus on three issues. First, with regard to the situation in Gaza, since the outbreak of the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict, China has worked to bring about peace talks through many means and channels. During his recent visit to Egypt and the headquarters of the League of Arab States, Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi set forth a five-point peace initiative. The Chinese Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue also made many mediation visits. We have also provided humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza to the best of our abilities. In the Council, China supported the draft resolution submitted by Jordan on behalf of the Arab/Islamic countries and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. We also took an active part in the negotiations and repeatedly called upon the Council to heed the voice of the international community and act to stop the violence through peace talks. We appreciate the recent ceasefire agreement reached on Gaza and the unremitting efforts made by Egypt and other parties. They represent an important step in easing the tension and the suffering of the people. We hope that the two parties will attach importance to achieving peace, put people first and effectively maintain the ceasefire, seize the opportunity to resume peace talks and bring about an early, fair and reasonable settlement of the Palestinian question. The situation there is still fragile. The international community should continue its efforts to consolidate the ceasefire and push for the lifting of the blockade of Gaza so that the peace talks between Israel and Palestine can resume. On that issue, the Council should play an active and effective role. China is a firm supporter and sincere mediator of the peace between the two parties. We will continue our unremitting efforts aimed at achieving peace between Israel and Palestine, as well as stability in the region. Secondly, with regard to counter-terrorism, terrorist activities have recently become more rampant and pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and security. Early this month, the Council adopted resolution 2170 (2014), which reflects the Council’s agreement to take measures to put an end to support in terms of personnel, weapons and finance for terrorist organizations, such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and to stop their efforts to instigate, plot and carry out terrorist activities through the Internet and social media. We hope that the resolution will be fully and genuinely implemented. Terrorism is an enemy common to all humankind. All terrorist acts — regardless of their motive, where and when they occur and who commits them  — are unpardonable felonies. The international community, in combating terrorism, should not apply varying criteria. We hope that the high-level counter-terrorism meetings of the Security Council scheduled for next month will enable the parties to further forge consensus so as to increase international solidarity in the common fight against terrorism. Thirdly, with regard to the situation in South Sudan, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) recently held a special summit on South Sudan. The leaders of the parties signed a protocol on agreed principles on transitional arrangements to end the crisis in South Sudan. The representatives of the Government and the opposition signed the cessation of hostilities agreement implementation matrix. That is an important effort on the part of IGAD to promote a political settlement to the question of South Sudan, and China welcomes it. However, the tension there does not inspire optimism. The international community will need to make greater efforts to end the crisis. China urges the parties to the conflict to put an end to the violence and cease their fire immediately, implement the cessation of hostilities agreement and work with all ethnic groups and factions in the context of an inclusive political dialogue. We are in favour of Africans solving African problems themselves through African means, and we firmly support IGAD’s leadership and mediation efforts. Since the outbreak of the conflict in South Sudan, Chinese leaders, the Foreign Minister and the Special Representative on African Affairs have made efforts aimed at fostering mediation. We took the lead in providing emergency assistance to South Sudan. We will continue to work with the international community to press for the holding of peace talks and, in the light of the need, for the provision of more humanitarian assistance in order to promote a rapid return to stability in the country. Finally, I congratulate the United States of America on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September. I wish it every success and smooth sailing in its work.

I wish to congratulate the United Kingdom delegation for its wise steering of the Security Council with an experienced hand during the month of August. During this very busy month, on more than a dozen occasions, the Council was called upon to react on an emergency basis, including today, to unfolding situations affecting international peace and security  — Iraq, Libya and Ukraine, to mention but a few. The debate on the protection of humanitarian personnel (see S/PV.7244) was particularly timely and important. Resolution 2171 (2014) encapsulates United Nations efforts in the fields of conflict prevention and mediation. Council members visited the International Criminal Court in The Hague for the first time. Council members delivered clear messages to the South Sudanese leaders to cease violence in the face of the looming famine and the disintegration of their State (see S/PV.7250). As was stressed in the open debate on conflict prevention (see S/PV.7247), the Council is currently grappling with an unprecedented number of bloody conflicts and four level-3 humanitarian emergencies. Lifesaving activities chronically run short of funds. The international community needs to make a qualitative leap forward in the area of conflict prevention and make better use of early warning, mediation and ensuring accountability. In recent days, the Middle East has seen some of the most dramatic efforts ever made at mediation. Lithuania welcomed the announcement of an open- ended ceasefire for Gaza brokered under the auspices of Egypt. Lithuania will support an international mechanism to address the modalities of the ceasefire and looks forward to a serious discussion of the matter in the Security Council. In Iraq, early warning proved insufficient to stop radical and violent extremists and terrorists, who swept through the country, violently expelling communities that had cohabited along the Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers since Roman times. Resolution 2170 (2014) sets forth initial measures against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Jabhat Al-Nusra and other individual groups associated with Al-Qaida. The effectiveness of the sanctions will depend on the swift and coherent actions taken by States Members of the United Nations, in particular the States of the region. Throughout the month, the Council, no less than five times, addressed the situation in the east of Ukraine, as unrelenting escalation along the Russian- Ukrainian border continued. Unequivocally strong calls, including from the majority of Council members, called on the Russian Federation to cease its support for illegal armed groups, respect Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and seek political solutions. Today we heard many Council members ask Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine (see S/PV.7253). However, those calls have fallen on deaf ears. Month after month, reports from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe have attested to egregious human rights violations in territories controlled by pro-Russian militias. Earlier this month, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Šimonović spoke of the sharply deteriorating human rights situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where illegal but professional foreign fighters have been engaged in abductions, detentions, torture and executions. The Lithuanian Honorary Consul in Luhansk, Mykola Zelenec, was kidnapped by such fighters and was found executed by them last week. In the last month, civilian casualties almost doubled in those areas. Lastly, I would like to say a few words about sanctions regimes. Increasingly, United Nations sanctions regimes are becoming more complex, as more United Nations peacekeeping operations are called on to cooperate with expert groups and provide assistance to national Governments. The effectiveness of sanctions hinges on many factors, including the willingness and capacity of neighbouring States to implement them. As Chair of the Yemen and Central African Republic Sanctions Committees, Lithuania has repeatedly encouraged the neighbouring States of Yemen and the Central African Republic to work with the United Nations Sanctions Committees and groups of experts. The United Nations is ready to provide assistance, expertise and advice. Reacting to the alarming situation there, the Security Council has also strengthened sanctions with respect to Libya. Unsecured arms and ammunition proliferate freely in Libya and beyond. We need to support Libya and the region in their efforts to address those issues. We would welcome the Secretary-General providing the Council with possible options as to how the United Nations system could assist Libya and its neighbours in order enhance the implementation of the arms embargo. In conclusion, let me once again thank the United Kingdom delegation for its dedicated work in the presidency of the Council during the month of August. We wish the incoming United States presidency the best of success.

First of all, I would like to join all other speakers today in thanking you, Mr. President, and your colleagues for the exceptional manner with which you have handled the affairs of the Security Council during what has been a very busy month. I will not review the substance of what has been on the Council’s agenda over the month of August. Rather, I will focus on the Council’s methods of work by making some basic suggestions, which we have raised in the past. First, when the Council workload is very heavy, as we have witnessed this month and today, we should abbreviate informal consultations to have only the briefer speak, followed by questions or comments that do not exceed three minutes. No showcasing should be allowed, so that we can free up time for thinking about the problems presented outside the Chamber. Secondly, in order to place more of the responsibility on Council members themselves, briefings should be followed in consultations by our questions addressed only to the briefers, as is the norm. The Secretariat should then leave the Consultations Room so that we can have a discussion among ourselves on how to move the agenda item forward, after which we can inform the Secretariat accordingly. Thirdly, we should commit ourselves to making concise statements focused on reaching beyond the surface features of a violent crisis and on trying to understand its deeper complexities. Fourthly, Secretariat briefings should include a deep analysis into why a particular crisis was triggered in the first place, and not just a description of the unfolding of the events of the crisis at hand, so that Council members can understand the very DNA of the crisis. Fifthly, it is important, when the Council is managing several hot crises simultaneously, to create space for thought between our statements. We as Council members need time to think and consult in the proper non-United Nations sense of the term. I thank you again, Mr. President, and wish the delegation of the United States of America all the best during the month of September.

I thank the representative of Jordan for his helpful suggestions. I think that the proposal of no showcasing might be a challenge for some members of the Council.

I will focus on three important activities in the month of August, namely, the Security Council mission to Europe and Africa, the briefing on the protection of humanitarian workers in armed conflicts (see S/PV.7244) and the open debate on conflict prevention (see S/PV.7247). The visit to Belgium and the open debate on conflict prevention, in bringing us back to the origins of the First World War, which began 100 years ago this year, gave us an opportunity to honour the culture of memory and to remember that conflicts are avoidable. Accordingly, the Security Council should do more to prevent conflicts within the framework of its responsibilities, but without exceeding the responsibilities entrusted to it under the Charter of the United Nations, not only because preventing conflicts is less costly in terms of the Organization’s and its Members’ resources for resolving conflicts, but essentially because prevention has the potential to save human beings from the physical, psychological and material devastation caused by armed conflicts. The Council has enormous power to respect human beings in their full dignity. However, we have seen just the opposite in the situations in Syria, the Middle East, Iraq, Ukraine, the Central African Republic and South Sudan, among other places. The visit to Belgium also allowed us to observe that the consequences of the use of chemical weapons are lasting, as evidenced by the fact that, nearly 100 years after the use of chemical weapons in that country, the international community has still not managed to locate and destroy all of the weapons, and people continue to die as the result of accidental explosions. The chemical weapons attack against the people of Ghouta in Syria just a year ago reminds us of the lasting nature of the threat of chemical weapons and the need to eradicate them completely and definitively, given the magnitude of the damage they cause and their potential for lasting negative effects. The visit to The Hague also enabled us to reflect on the contribution of the International Court of Justice to the peaceful settlement of disputes between States and that of the international criminal tribunals, including the International Criminal Court, which is at the centre of today’s international penal justice system. Accountability helps prevent a relapse into conflict and consequently prevents it. It is important that the Security Council deepen its dialogue and cooperation with the courts in The Hague by establishing a specific mechanism to keep better track of the situations that it refers to the International Criminal Court. The reminder by the President of the International Court of Justice that Latin America, my region, is the Court’s main “client”, and the fact that that region is a zone of peace allows us to infer a link between the use of international judicial mechanisms and the prevention of armed conflict. It is important that the Security Council use its powers under Article 36, paragraph 3, of the Charter to recommend the referral of disputes of a judicial nature to the International Court of Justice as appropriate. Regarding the trip to South Sudan and our efforts to coordinate positions with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, including our meeting with the ministers of that regional organization in Nairobi, one could, as Ambassador Oyarzábal, who represented our country, stated, write a book about it, and I believe him. I will say here only that we believe that, while the Security Council should respect the leadership of regional and subregional organizations in conflict resolution by supporting their efforts without hindering them, it cannot cease seeking to fulfil its own primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Finally, the trip to Somalia and the meeting with the President of Kenya shed light on the cost in terms of human lives and on the deepening of humanitarian crises, both of which are often the unintended consequence of counter-terrorism efforts. That extends beyond the situation in Somalia, as has been observed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen. The protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights must always be part of the fight against terrorism and must certainly be determining factors in the Security Council’s authorization of the use of force. Allow me to say that we must not understand the fight against terrorism as developing solely on the military front. Our approach is and needs to be broader, as can be seen from our work within at least four subsidiary bodies of the Security Council. One of the most notable advances in those bodies has been the establishment of the office of an independent and impartial ombudsperson to review applications from individuals, groups and entities wishing to be removed from the Al-Qaida sanctions list. Due process is a cornerstone of the defence of human rights, because it is itself one of the fundamental rights of human beings. That involves the guarantee of people’s right to know the substantive reasons why the Committee has decided to delist them or keep them on the list. Argentina unhesitatingly reaffirms the obligation for the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities, to include the substantive reasons for the Committee’s decision to keep a person or entity on the list or delist them and any other relevant information for the Ombudsperson to transmit to the author of the request, in accordance with annex II, paragraph 16, of resolution 2161 (2014) and, ultimately, in accordance with the human right to due process, which is broad in scope and does not end with the decision to delist a person or entity. Finally, the briefing on the protection of humanitarian personnel (see S/PV.7244) cast light on the whole world of difference that exists between rhetoric and the facts when it comes to the protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel, and more generally, respect for international humanitarian law. Nevertheless, the reaction of the Security Council has not measured up to the challenge. It is equally serious to attack humanitarian workers in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Darfur, Gaza, Syria, Somalia or South Sudan, and it is significantly more serious when the attacks come from Government forces, whose duty it is to protect the people who risk their lives to bring needed relief to the suffering population. At a minimum, the Security Council must be able to show that it has joined in condemning those attacks and has risen above the legitimate national interests and geopolitical considerations at stake. As this is close to the last meeting during your presidency of the Council, Sir, I thank you and congratulate you most sincerely for the manner in which you led our work during the month of August. I thank you and, through you, your team. I also avail myself of this opportunity to wish the United States a good presidency and to offer all the support they may need.

This is not in fact the last meeting, but I nonetheless appreciate your kind words.

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this monthly wrap- up meeting in a public format, thus enhancing the transparency of the Council’s work. I would also like to congratulate you, Sir, and your team for your dynamic and effective presidency of the Security Council during the month of August, which removed any lingering doubts that there might have been as to the fact that the Council does not take summer breaks. Most of the situations on the Council’s agenda this month have seen their share of suffering for civilian populations. The deepening of the crisis in Ukraine, which we addressed again today (see S/PV.7253); the continuing violence in Gaza up until the ceasefire of 26 August; the continuing deterioration of the situation in South Sudan and Libya; the unspeakable barbarity displayed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria; the humanitarian situation in Syria, which remains dire despite the modest gains in terms of humanitarian access obtained thanks to resolution 2165 (2014)  — all are situations that should concern us and cause us to ponder the best way to strengthen the work of the Council in the maintenance of international peace and security. They lead us to ask the question: what can we do to prevent such situations from arising and prevent the suffering on the part of civilian populations? The open debate on conflict prevention (see S/PV.7247) that you, Sir, organized on 21 August provided some answers to that question. A vast majority of the participants in that debate stressed the importance of the Security Council adopting a proactive posture to conflict prevention rather than reacting after the fact. We welcome the adoption, at that open debate, of resolution 2171 (2014), which lays out a whole range of instruments aimed at promoting conflict prevention. We must now make use of them and give full expression to Article 99 of the Charter of the United Nations. We hope that the Secretary-General and his Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect, to mention but two, will inform us as soon as warning signs of potential conflict situations appear. We believe that a significant deterioration in the human rights situation often precedes conflict. Such warning signs must be noted and brought to the attention of the Security Council. The Secretary- General’s Rights Up Front initiative is the instrument of choice for warning of such situations, and we hope it will be fully implemented with the assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. This month, as several others have mentioned, featured a field visit by the Security Council that enabled us to better assess the crises affecting Southern Sudan and Somalia. We were able to see with our own eyes the complexity of the environment in which United Nations staff and humanitarian actors carry out their tasks. They are on the front lines of the efforts to restore peace and provide support and assistance to people trapped in conflict situations, at great risk to themselves. In the open debate on 19 August (see S/PV.7244) we honoured the memory of the many humanitarian workers and United Nations personnel who have paid for their commitment with their lives. We support the initiative to update resolution 1502 (2003) in order to adapt it to the realities of today, and we hope that tomorrow we can adopt a new resolution on the protection of humanitarian personnel. It is our individual and collective responsibility to ensure that humanitarian assistance is not diverted from its primary purpose and to ensure that the principles governing it are respected. The credibility of humanitarian aid depends on it, as does the safety of those who provide it. One of the important lessons we have learned from past conflicts is the importance of combating impunity for the perpetrators of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law. Making it clear that the perpetrators of such acts must atone for them can help to deter others from such heinous acts. Our recent visit to The Hague once again enabled us to highlight the significant contribution of the International Criminal Court and international criminal justice in general not only to the maintainance of peace but also to the prevention of conflicts. The Security Council bears a special responsibility. Only our collective commitment will make a difference. In that regard, as the United States prepares to take over the presidency of the Security Council, I would like to wish the American delegation every success and to assure it of our full support.

We thank you, Mr. President, and your entire United Kingdom team, for your able leadership this month. I will focus my remarks on the Security Council visit as well as our enduring interest in and responsibilities for conflict prevention, a key theme of our work in August. The Council’s visit to the Peace Palace in The Hague, established following the 1899 Peace Conference there, was a reminder that for more than a century the inherent link between peace, justice and the rule of law has been understood. The Peace Palace is of course now home to the International Court of Justice. The Council’s exchange of views with the Court, the International Criminal Tribunals established by the Council and the International Criminal Court (ICC) reinforced the role those bodies can play in conflict prevention. It underlined the central role of accountability in our joint efforts to prevent and deter conflict and to build sustainable peace. The visit was a vivid reminder of the challenge of agreeing on and upholding international norms concerning the conduct of conflict. A year after the Peace Palace opened its doors, in 1913, the First World War broke out. Our visit to Belgium underlined the horrific consequences of that entirely preventable conflict. Of course, during that conflict many of the fundamental norms established at The Hague Peace Conference were blatantly violated. Just 24 hours after leaving The Hague, we were at a protection site at an United Nations Mission in South Sudan base in Malakal. We saw the consequences of conflict, including large-scale displacement and desperate humanitarian need. We heard testimonies of massive human-rights violations, massacres and ethnic targeting. United Nations staff told us of approaching famine. Civil society representatives pleaded with us to do more to end the conflict. That jarring juxtaposition of lofty international aspirations and the harsh reality of conflict is reflected in many of the crises before the Council, including Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Gaza and Libya. While the causes and consequences differ, there is a common element to the conduct of those conflicts  — the erosion of fundamental norms. We see that in the brazen defiance of fundamental provisions of human rights and international humanitarian law. In Iraq, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is committing unspeakable atrocities against civilians on the basis of their religion or ethnicity. That is a stark challenge for the Council  — a terrorist group acting as a rebel insurgency, acquiring and holding territory and brutally repressing the civilian population. The role of foreign terrorist fighters in such groups deserves the Council’s urgent attention. We see that erosion of norms in the frequent use of civilian facilities, including schools and hospitals, for military purposes, and in the deliberate targeting of such sites. That has been a feature of conflicts in Syria, Iraq, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Gaza. We see it in attacks on cultural heritage, often part of a deliberate strategy to destroy the very foundations of cultures and religions. ISIL’s destruction of the Musa Bin Oumair Mosque in Iraq’s Diyala province is only the latest shocking example. We see that erosion of norms reflected in the deliberate targeting of humanitarian actors. As we marked World Humanitarian Day on 19 August, we heard that 155 humanitarian workers were killed in 2013, the highest level for a decade. We have also seen it in the use of chemical weapons in conflict. In adopting resolution 2118 (2013) a year ago, the Council reaffirmed the absolute prohibition of the use of such weapons anywhere. The completion of destruction processes for Syrian chemical weapons on the United States vessel MV Cape Ray this month was welcome, but the job is not yet complete, and allegations of the use of toxic chemicals in the Syrian conflict must be investigated. We have even seen violations of the very foundations of the Charter of the United Nations, the obligation of non-interference and the prohibition on the use of force, with the annexation of part of Ukraine’s territory and active destabilization of other parts of the country. And we have seen the tragic and far-reaching consequences of this, including the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17. It is tempting to think that, having established the normative framework for international peace and security and its supporting institutions through treaties and Council resolutions, our job is complete. We cannot take such a view. We cannot just work at the margins. We must protect the very foundations. We must take every opportunity to reinforce these fundamental norms  — through Council resolutions such as 2170 (2014), on ISIL, and 2171 (2014), on conflict prevention; through the inclusion of listing criteria in our sanctions regimes for those who violate international humanitarian and human-rights law, as we have just done on Libya (see S/PV.7251); through accountability mechanisms, including commissions of inquiry and support to the ICC; and through timely Council visits at critical moments, such as the one to South Sudan. There was one another important event in The Hague: the Council’s meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Rutte, who conveyed his gratitude for the adoption of resolution 2166 (2014) and called for its full implementation. As Council President, Sir, you laid a wreath on our behalf at the memorial site at Schiphol Airport for the victims of Flight MH-17. It was a powerful reminder of the awful and unpredictable consequences of conflict, and the stake that every United Nations Member State has in the Council fulfilling its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security.

Thank you very much for your strong leadership of the Council this month, Mr. President. You and your very capable team have guided us efficiently and kept us on track and on time throughout this busy month of August. Today I would like to share my delegation’s views on some areas where the Security Council has been productive this month, and also to look ahead to a few areas that will require our continued attention in September and beyond. The Council’s trip this month allowed us to witness first-hand the stakes of our deliberations. The visit to South Sudan was particularly timely, given the deteriorating political, humanitarian and security crisis unfolding there. The visit allowed the Council to hear from many stakeholders and to directly convey a number of important messages, including the fact that the Council is prepared to impose consequences on spoilers of the peace process, and that we will continue to focus closely on developments. Another area where we saw a measure of progress this month was related to the removal and destruction of chemical weapons in Syria. We commend the efforts of the United Nations, particularly those of the personnel working on the ground. Our international partners have been absolutely instrumental in the removal and ongoing destruction of Syria’s declared chemical weapons. Still, serious questions remain, and the international community, including the Council, must continue to hold the Syrian regime accountable for meeting its international obligations. We found our two thematic debates this month — on the protection of humanitarian workers (see S/PV.7244) and on conflict prevention (see S/PV.7247)  — to be complementary and worthy of our continued attention. Some 108 million people are now in need of humanitarian assistance worldwide, and violence is displacing more people than ever before. Humanitarian workers are often the vulnerable first responders to crises. The increasing frequency of attacks on humanitarian workers and the number killed in 2013, especially in Syria, alarm us. Our discussion on conflict prevention drove home the need to head off humanitarian crises before they occur. The United States commends the United Nations efforts, particularly those of the Department of Political Affairs, to monitor and analyse developments around the world and to alert the Security Council and the international community to brewing crises. In addition to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, which I mentioned just now, many topics will require our continued attention in September and beyond. Five issues stand out. The first issue is the Central African Republic. We will see an important transfer of authority to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) next month, and we will need to closely track the political transition progress and humanitarian issues. We expect the Secretariat to keep us informed on progress in bringing MINUSCA up to full strength and on any help that it needs in that regard. The second issue is the Middle East. The announcement of the ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday was welcome. We hope very much that this ceasefire will prove to be lasting, that it will put an end to rocket and mortar attacks and that it will allow for talks under Egyptian mediation to continue and to address the underlying issues and achieve a durable and sustainable solution. That includes a stronger role for the Palestinian Authority, reconstruction and relief and addressing the need for demilitarization. As Secretary of State Kerry said, the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza must be accelerated. The United States is prepared to work with our international partners on a major reconstruction initiative. We look forward to working with the Council on suitable ways for us and for the United Nations to support long-term solutions in Gaza. The third topic is Ukraine, which is clearly an issue that the Council must continue to follow closely. We look forward to Assistant Secretary-General Šimonović’s new report on human rights, scheduled to come out tomorrow. But as the Council showed just earlier this afternoon (see S/PV.7253), the security situation remains troubling. As Ambassador Power just said in this Chamber, Russia’s action amounts to a deliberate effort to support, and now fight alongside, illegal separatists in another sovereign country. Fourthly, next month we will need to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) while addressing the impact of ebola in Liberia and on the Mission. We strongly support UNMIL and express our deep appreciation for the willingness of countries to continue to contribute troops to it. The United States Embassy in Monrovia remains open, and our peacekeepers remain in the Mission. We share concerns regarding the safety of peacekeepers and hope the Secretariat will keep the Council informed about measures it is taking to allow the Mission to keep operating. For our part, we are working intensely with the World Health Organization and others on this issue and are providing considerable resources of our own in the fight to contain ebola in Liberia and elsewhere. This month also concludes with peacekeepers of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force under assault and the downing of a helicopter of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Next month we will have to consider what measures are necessary to deal with threats to peacekeepers. Finally, the adoption of resolution 2170 (2014), on the threat of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and the Nusrah Front, was welcome. But it also underlines that more needs to be done, particularly to address the problem of foreign terrorist fighters. To highlight the importance of that threat, President Obama will chair a high-level Council briefing on that topic during the General Assembly high-level week next month. Lastly, I would like to thank delegations for their expressions of support. We look forward to working with the Council on these issues and so many others during our upcoming presidency in September.

For Russia, the central topic of the Security Council’s discussion in August was the situation in Ukraine. Unfortunately, we are forced to conclude that the Security Council, due to the destructive efforts of a number of its members, was unable to play the kind of role in resolving that crisis that is in line with its mandate as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. We saw that once again in today’s discussion on Ukraine (see S/PV.7253). The draft statement proposed by the Russian delegation on a ceasefire was blocked on the basis of a frivolous pretext. Despite that opposition, we have continued throughout the month to draw the attention of the international community to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine. In the course of a briefing convened at the initiative of Russia on 5 August (see S/PV.7234), representatives of United Nations humanitarian agencies provided an assessment of the situation that was closer to the reality. We welcome that development. At last, information about the real situation is beginning to seep through a wall of silence and blatant denial. We were shocked by the furious criticism and distortion of facts with regard to the convoy of Russian humanitarian assistance that was sent to Luhansk. We have already discussed more than once the reasons and purposes for our actions, and I do not wish repeat them. However, I would like to stress that we will continue efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the inhabitants of Luhansk and Donetsk, in cooperation with the authorities in Kyiv and the International Committee of Red Cross. We hope that our future efforts will be met with a more constructive attitude. The Security Council was unable to act with due responsibility in the matter of international support in the inquiry into the tragic crash of the Malaysian airplane. Unfortunately, we continue to see attempts to hinder the implementation of resolution 2166 (2014). For more than 10 days, the Ukrainian authorities disregarded the demand for a ceasefire in the region of the disaster, and then they officially declared a resumption of military activities. On two occasions we introduced draft press statements in support of resolution 2166 (2014). Both times they were blocked by a number of Council members, who are evidently not interested in the implementation of that resolution. All we see here is an attempt to whitewash Kyiv under any circumstances. We would like once again to remind the Secretariat that, in accordance with resolution 2166 (2014), the United Nations must provide comprehensive assistance in the inquiry, as well as identify possible options for such assistance and report to the Council on relevant developments. The United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe must play a more active role, including as coordinators, in conducting a comprehensive, thorough and independent international inquiry. With respect to the situation in Gaza, the Security Council continued to act timidly. Discussions about a product expressing the reactions of the Council continued throughout the month. However, there is no result. We came away quite disappointed from yesterday’s discussion of Libya (see S/PV.7251). That country is essentially in free fall. The members of the Council responsible for that situation — because they are the ones that gravely violated resolutions 1970 (2011) and 1973 (2011) — are acting as if they had nothing to do with it. They are calling on the United Nations or Libya’s neighbours to do more. In that regard, we would like to raise another point. We sometimes hear that, if not for the right of veto, the Security Council would be effective in preventing or resolving conflicts. In the case of Libya, no veto was used. I would like to ask those who were satisfied with the result to raise their hands. The issue is not the veto, but rather a policy of adventurism, which further stokes conflicts. In conclusion, we would like to note that the current work of the Council is taking place against a whole range of deteriorating regional crises. Given that the Council has too much on its plate, we need to work towards a more in-depth and effective consideration of the issues on its agenda, related first and foremost to specific situations and countries. Today’s wrap- up session seems artificial, especially since we will continue our work tomorrow with discussions on two important items. We would like to say that the British presidency did not always act correctly, although it worked a lot. We wish the United States delegation every success in September.

I thank the President for organizing this wrap-up session, the sixth since the beginning of the year, and the second in a row in the format of a public meetingn. The convening of these meetings, which provide an opportunity for the Security Council to assess its work and critically examine its progress and effectiveness, should be encouraged. I hope that more Council members, current and future, will continue this practice and that non-members of the Council will continue to participate. The delegation of Rwanda appreciates the way you, Mr. President, presided over the Council during the month of August, particularly your focus on effective management of time. We extend our appreciation to the Deputy Permanent Representative and the political coordinator and his alternate, as well as to the whole Security Council team of the United Kingdom. I take this opportunity to congratulate Ambassador Samantha Power of the United States on assuming the presidency of the Council for the month of September. We note that during its last presidency, in July 2013, the United States organized an open debate on the protection of journalists in armed conflicts (see S/PV.7003), and that this September, the United States has chosen foreign terrorist fighters as the main topic for its presidency. The barbaric killing of James Foley, a United States journalist, by a member of the Islamic State, including foreign terrorist fighters, is a tragic example of the need for the Council to tackle this scourge while enforcing the protection of civilians, including journalists. In connection with the protection of civilians, we also thank the United Kingdom for organizing, on the occasion of the World Humanitarian Day, on 19 August, a briefing on the protection of humanitarian workers (see S/PV.7244) in memory of Sergio Vieira de Mello, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, and his colleagues killed in the terrorist attack against the Canal Hotel in Baghdad 11 years ago. Rwanda supports the draft resolution that the United Kingdom presidency has introduced in that regard. While we appreciated the successful Security Council trip to Belgium, the Netherlands, South Sudan and Somalia, we noted that the maintenance of international peace and security continued to be gravely challenged during the month of August. From Ukraine to the Central African Republic and through Syria, Iraq, Libya and South Sudan, conflicts around the world continued unaffected, many of them without any prospect of a peaceful resolution. More worrying is that terrorist organizations have moved beyond committing terrorist acts, and the Islamic State, Boko Haram and others have acquired the military might to conquer territories with a view to creating an Islamic caliphate. Although Rwanda usually advocates for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, we believe that when the world faces terrorist and genocidal organizations, the only solution is to fight them and to defeat them. We cannot afford to contain or appease those violent groups. Cooperation and coordination among regional countries and world Powers on the Security Council are critical to achieving that goal. However, in this dark picture of international peace and security, we noted a glimmer of hope for the conflict in Gaza. The open-ended ceasefire in Gaza, brokered early this week by Egypt, could provide a fresh start for a political solution to the long-standing conflict in the Middle East. Nonetheless, the Security Council should closely follow the situation and be ready to take appropriate measures to help the parties achieve sustainable peace and stability. On eastern Ukraine, considered in an earlier meeting today (see S/PV.7253), we welcomed the regional summit held in Minsk on Monday, but we continue to be concerned at the dangerous escalation of the situation on the ground. We again call on the parties concerned to exercise restraint in respect to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and to continue dialogue for a political and diplomatic solution to the crisis. The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was also discussed in August during a high-level debate (see S/PV.7246) focused on the neutralization of the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR). Recalling the press statement (SC/11533) adopted on Tuesday, 26 August, Rwanda welcomes the Security Council’s clear and unreserved support for the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the Southern African Development Community, which have clearly stated that a six-month period provided to the FDLR for its disarmament must be followed by military action should that genocidal organization continue its delaying tactics. We all know that the dramatic increase in and the worsening of conflicts around the world has enlarged the agenda for the Security Council. Unfortunately, the situation has also made our methods of work worse. I will not dwell too much on the need to shift our approach from a culture of management of conflicts to a spirit of prevention of conflicts. We have appreciated the thematic open debate convened by the United Kingdom in the past week (see S/PV.7247) and the briefing provided by the Department of Political Affairs this week. But we believe the effective prevention of conflicts should be oriented towards regular, country-specific scanning based on actual threats to international peace and security. Beyond that, Rwanda noted over the past weeks and month not only the increase in emergency meetings but also the emergence of a practice whereby a Council member requests a meeting on an aspect of a particular crisis, while another one requests a meeting to discuss another aspect of the same crisis within the same period. We believe that this practice undermines the Council’s ability to effectively address conflicts in a comprehensive manner. The Council should have a serious conversation on how to be more flexible and more efficient and how better to manage its agenda. We believe that the frequency of our meetings should depend on the evolution of crises on our agenda, which should be addressed in a holistic manner, including sanctions. While some situations should be considered on a biannual or quarterly basis, other situations deserve monthly or even semi-monthly meetings, with a clear strategy on the part of the Security Council. To conclude, I wish to thank the Secretary-General for his usual availability to interact with members of the Council. I extend our appreciation to members of his administration, including members of the Security Council Affairs Division, for their usual assistance to Council members.

As previous speakers have done, I would like to warmly thank the British delegation — you yourself, Mr. President, and your entire team  — for a very effective presidency in August. I simply wish to touch upon a few topics. First, on a positive note, I appreciate the unity of the Council and its productivity on a number of topics that are important for us, including the renewal of the mandate for United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is very important in the context of the regional crisis. We need to limit the repercussions of that crisis in Lebanon, and we hope that all Member States will continue to support the role of UNIFIL. Another example of a unified approach in the fight against terrorism is that this month the Council finally took measures against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). We welcome the efforts of the British delegation to achieve the adoption of resolution 2170 (2014), which finally condemns the terrorist acts of ISIL and in which for the first time the Council also mentions foreign combatants. That was very important for us. We hope that the Council summit that is being prepared by our American partners for the upcoming ministerial week on the topic of terrorist combatants will be another opportunity for deepen our action on this topic at the highest level. There was further relative unity on Libya, since the United Nations has a role to play on this issue, and the Council acted in a very timely way. Just as the issue of Libya’s future was in question, the Council adopted a resolution (resolution 2174 (2014)) that strengthens the arms embargo and extends individual sanctions against those who hinder political transition. The President of the French Republic has indicated that exceptional United Nations support for the Libyan authorities to re-establish the State is necessary. This is a topic that we will continue to follow closely in the month of September. There was also unity in the Council regarding a number of crises in Africa. In that regard, my delegation would like to welcome the meeting on 7 August (see S/PV.7237), presided over by the British Minister for African Affairs, which made it possible to bring together the key countries of the Great Lakes region and to recall the major priorities of the Council. Those priorities were set out in a press statement (SC/11533) adopted on 26 August, which recalls in particular that the implementation of resolution 2147 (2014), on the neutralization of armed groups, notably the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, is required. Also on an optimistic note, we saw the renewal of the mandate of African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, the accent in that resolution 2173 (2014) being on the strategic review of the force and on the importance of stronger public reporting on human rights. On the other hand, and our second point — and the Secretary-General mentioned this during the public debate that you organized, Mr. President (see S/PV.7247) — in the Council there are serious divisions that undermine the Organization’s capability to act. We continue to regret that, in the context of Syria, the tireless support of certain delegations for a repressive regime did not enable coordinated action by the Council, thereby clearing the way for extremists and terrorists. France will continue to take action against the abusive use of the veto by delegations, which was evident in the case of Syria. Of course, there are divisions on the issue of Ukraine that were just revealed in the Council (see S/PV.7253). It is clear that Russia’s persistent attitude is to simply destabilize the country. The third point I would like to make is on another topic. The Council may now have an opportunity to play a role that it has not played to date. I am thinking of Gaza. An unlimited ceasefire has been announced by the Egyptian authorities. We encourage the parties to comply with the ceasefire and to participate in the discussions organized under Egyptian auspices. However, in coordination with our partners from the European Union and from the Security Council, we would like to make further progress by contributing to a solution based on such an agreement. We believe, as do others, that the Security Council has a role to play in that matter. Finally, I would like to conclude with the focus on conflict prevention that was put forth by the British presidency, particularly from the early warning perspective. I would also mention the visit to Europe that recalled, through history, the importance of preventing crises. We consider that very important. The adoption of resolution 2171 (2014) was also a welcome event. The debate on conflict prevention (see S/PV.7247) allowed the Council to listen for the last time to Ms. Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, as she will be completing her term. Under her mandate, the interaction between the Security Council and the High Commissioner grew ever closer, which nevertheless poses a heavy burden on our work  — if I may say so. We have noted that among her final recommendations she suggested a monthly briefing to the Council by her successor to the post of High Commissioner of Human Rights. We believe that requires careful consideration, as it would provide opportunities for the High Commissioner to play the role of providing early warning, rather than coming to brief the Council, at our request, when a crisis is already under way. During the debate convened by the presidency, the Council also had a chance to reinforce the expanded role of the Secretary-General in early warning efforts, which was important. In conclusion, I would also like to thank you, Mr. President, for your efforts to address working methods and to limit our speaking time. We also share the presidency’s concern to have public discussions in the Chamber, for reasons of transparency, but also greater use of interactive consultations to accelerate decision-making, as decisions signal the Council’s unity, as I had mentioned earlier. I would like to express to the United States our every wish for success in the month of September.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.